Welcome, Discovery!

The first of the operational space shuttles to be retired, Discovery made one …

Working three miles from Washington-Dulles Airport meant that my coworkers and I had a pretty good chance of seeing Discovery, especially from the top floors of our building, and potential viewing locations were a frequent topic of discussion in the days leading up to its arrival.

Not wanting to take a chance, I decided to head to the Udvar-Hazy Center, the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum annex near the airport to watch Discovery arrive. The parking lot was opened at 8 AM, and by the time I arrived an hour later, almost all two thousand spaces were filled. The crowds had spread out in search of viewing spots, and I decided to head for the berm that flanked the museum.

Discovery atop NASA 905, the Boeing 747-100 converted into the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, approaching the Udvar-Hazy Center for the fly-by.

The crowds gathered in downtown D.C. were treated to a show as the pair soared over the Mall, swooping past the Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the White House for three loops before heading back to land at Dulles.

NASA 905, flanked by T-38 jets, comes in for its first pass over Dulles.